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Revision as of 02:55, 10 May 2013 editChimino (talk | contribs)Extended confirmed users5,236 edits →Nonspecific date 3: add← Previous edit Revision as of 02:57, 10 May 2013 edit undoChimino (talk | contribs)Extended confirmed users5,236 editsm →Barton FinkNext edit →
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''''']''''' is a 1991 American film, written, directed, and produced by the ] ''(pictured)''. Set in 1941, it stars ] in the title role as a young New York City ] who is hired to write scripts for a movie studio in Hollywood, and ] as Charlie, the insurance salesman who lives next door at the run-down Hotel Earle. The Coens wrote the screenplay in three weeks while experiencing difficulty during the writing of another film, '']''. Soon after ''Miller's Crossing'' was finished, the Coens began filming ''Barton Fink'', which had its premiere at the ] in May 1991. In a rare sweep, ''Barton Fink'' won the '']'', as well as awards for ] and ] (Turturro). Although it was celebrated almost universally by critics and nominated for three ]s, the movie grossed only $6,000,000 at the box office, two-thirds of its estimated budget. The process of writing and the culture of entertainment production are two prominent themes of ''Barton Fink''. The world of ] is contrasted with that of ], and the film analyzes superficial distinctions between ] and ]. Other themes in the film include fascism and ]; slavery and conditions of labor in creative industries; and how intellectuals relate to "the common man". Because of its diverse elements, ''Barton Fink'' has defied efforts at genre classification. It has been variously referred to as a ], a ], a '']'', and a ].{{TFAFULL|Barton Fink}} ''''']''''' is a 1991 American film, written, directed, and produced by the ] ''(pictured)''. Set in 1941, it stars ] in the title role as a young New York City ] who is hired to write scripts for a movie studio in Hollywood, and ] as Charlie, the insurance salesman who lives next door at the run-down Hotel Earle. The Coens wrote the screenplay in three weeks while experiencing difficulty during the writing of another film, '']''. Soon after ''Miller's Crossing'' was finished, the Coens began filming ''Barton Fink'', which had its premiere at the ] in May 1991. In a rare sweep, ''Barton Fink'' won the '']'', as well as awards for ] and ] (Turturro). Although it was celebrated almost universally by critics and nominated for three ]s, the movie grossed only $6,000,000 at the box office, two-thirds of its estimated budget. The process of writing and the culture of entertainment production are two prominent themes of ''Barton Fink''. The world of ] is contrasted with that of ], and the film analyzes superficial distinctions between ] and ]. Other themes in the film include fascism and ]; slavery and conditions of labor in creative industries; and how intellectuals relate to "the common man". Because of its diverse elements, ''Barton Fink'' has defied efforts at genre classification. It has been variously referred to as a ], a ], a '']'', and a ]. {{TFAFULL|Barton Fink}}
</div></div> </div></div>
'''2 points''': featured since 2009. Last film TFA was "?" on April 1.--] (]) 02:55, 10 May 2013 (UTC) '''2 points''': featured since 2009. Last film TFA was "?" on April 1.--] (]) 02:55, 10 May 2013 (UTC)

Revision as of 02:57, 10 May 2013

Here the community can nominate articles to be selected as "Today's featured article" (TFA) on the main page. The TFA section aims to highlight the range of articles that have "featured article" status, from Art and architecture through to Warfare, and wherever possible it tries to avoid similar topics appearing too close together without good reason. Requests are not the only factor in scheduling the TFA (see Choosing Today's Featured Article); the final decision rests with the TFA coordinators: Wehwalt, Dank, Gog the Mild and SchroCat, who also select TFAs for dates where no suggestions are put forward. Please confine requests to this page, and remember that community endorsement on this page does not necessarily mean the article will appear on the requested date.

  • The article must be a featured article. Editors who are not significant contributors to the article should consult regular editors of the article before nominating it for TFAR.
  • The article must not have appeared as TFA before (see the list of possibilities here), except that:
    • The TFA coordinators may choose to fill up to two slots each week with FAs that have previously been on the main page, so long as the prior appearance was at least five years ago. The coordinators will invite discussion on general selection criteria for re-runnable TFAs, and aim to make individual selections within those criteria.
    • The request must be either for a specific date within the next 30 days that has not yet been scheduled, or a non-specific date. The template {{@TFA}} can be used in a message to "ping" the coordinators through the notification system.

If you have an exceptional request that deviates from these instructions (for example, an article making a second appearance as TFA, or a "double-header"), please discuss the matter with the TFA coordinators beforehand.

It can be helpful to add the article to the pending requests template, if the desired date for the article is beyond the 30-day period. This does not guarantee selection, but does help others see what nominations may be forthcoming. Requesters should still nominate the article here during the 30-day time-frame.

Purge the cache to refresh this page

Shortcuts

Featured content:

Featured article candidates (FAC):

Featured article review (FAR):

Today's featured article (TFA):

Featured article tools:

How to post a new nomination:

I. Create the nomination subpage.

In the box below, enter the full name of the article you are nominating (without using any brackets around the article's name) and click the button to create your nomination page.


II. Write the nomination.

On that nomination page, fill out as many of the relevant parts of the pre-loaded {{TFAR nom}} template as you can, then save the page.

Your nomination should mention:

  • when the last similar article was, since this helps towards diversity on the main page (browsing Misplaced Pages:Today's featured article/recent TFAs will help you find out);
  • when the article was promoted to FA status (since older articles may need extra checks);
  • and (for date-specific nominations) the article's relevance for the requested date.
III. Write the blurb. Some Featured Articles promoted between 2016 and 2020 have pre-prepared blurbs, found on the talk page of the FAC nomination (that's the page linked from "it has been identified" at the top of the article's talk page). If there is one, copy and paste that to the nomination, save it, and then edit as needed. For other FAs, you're welcome to create your own TFA text as a summary of the lead section, or you can ask for assistance at WT:TFAR. We use one paragraph only, with no reference tags or alternative names; the only thing bolded is the first link to the article title. The length when previewed is between 925 and 1025 characters including spaces, " (Full article...)" and the featured topic link if applicable. More characters may be used when no free-use image can be found. Fair use images are not allowed.
IV. Post at TFAR.

After you have created the nomination page, add it here under a level-3 heading for the preferred date (or under a free non-specific date header). To do this, add (replacing "ARTICLE TITLE" with the name of your nominated article):
===February 29===
{{Misplaced Pages:Today's featured article/requests/ARTICLE TITLE}}

Nominations are ordered by requested date below the summary chart. More than one article can be nominated for the same date.

It would also then be helpful to add the nomination to the summary chart, following the examples there. Please include the name of the article that you are nominating in your edit summary.

If you are not one of the article's primary editors, please then notify the primary editors of the TFA nomination; if primary editors are no longer active, please add a message to the article talk page.

Scheduling:

In the absence of exceptional circumstances, TFAs are scheduled in date order, not according to how long nominations have been open or how many supportive comments they have. So, for example, January 31 will not be scheduled until January 30 has been scheduled (by TFAR nomination or otherwise).

Summary chart

Currently accepting requests from February 1 to March 3.

Date Article Points Notes Supports Opposes
Nonspecific 1 Broken Sword: The Shadow of the Templars 0 2 1
Nonspecific 2 Flame Robin 2 -2 pts if before May 22 (within one month of another bird on mainpage); promoted 2010. 3 0
Nonspecific 3
Nonspecific 4 Gender Bender 0 possibly -2 pts if before May 27 1 0
May 13 Michigan State Trunkline Highway System 7 Centennial of creation, no similar article in past 3 months 5 0
May 16 Final Fantasy XI 3 5 years FA, 11th anniversary of release, widely covered, -2 because God of War within a month 7 0
May 22 Richard Wagner 11 bicentenary, vital article, requestor is a sig. contributor and has not had a 'Today's FA' before. 11 0
May 24 Thescelosaurus 9 centenary of original description (6), article promoted in 2007 (2), and no dinosaurs (non-avian) in past 3 months (1) 6 0
May 25 May Revolution 6 date relevant to article topic (1), widely covered topic (2), requester's contribution history (1), and lack of similar articles as TFA in past 6 months (2) 2 0
May 25 alternative Heinrich Bär 6 centenary anniversary of his birthdate (6), article promoted in 2009 (2), Operation Teardrop article featured within a month (-2). 1 0
May 29 The Rite of Spring 8+ centenary of premiere, widely covered, possibly +1 or +2 for time since similar articles 6 0

Tally may not be up to date; please do not use these tallies for removing a nomination according to criteria 1 or 3 above unless you have verified the numbers. The nominator is included in the number of supporters.

Nonspecific date nominations

Nonspecific date 1

Broken Sword: The Shadow of the Templars

Charles Cecil, Broken Sword creator

Broken Sword: The Shadow of the Templars is a 1996 adventure video game developed by Revolution Software. The player assumes the role of George Stobbart, an American tourist in Paris, as he unravels a conspiracy. The game takes place in both real and fictional locations in Europe and the Middle East. In 1992, Cecil, writer and director of the game, began researching the Knights Templar for the game after he, Noirin Carmody and Sean Brennan conceived Broken Sword. It was built with Revolution's Virtual Theatre engine, also used for the company's previous two games. Cecil wrote and directed the game, while Eoghan Cahill and Neil Breen drew the backgrounds in pencil and digitally colored them in Photoshop. The game is serious in tone, but also features humor and graphics in the style of classic animated films. The million-selling title was critically acclaimed and won numerous awards. It is known as one of the best examples of adventure gaming and many developers have cited it as an influence. After its initial release on Windows, Mac OS, and PlayStation, it was ported to the Game Boy Advance, Palm OS, and Windows Mobile. The game spawned a number of sequels collectively known as the Broken Sword series. From 2009 to 2012, a director's cut version was released on Wii, Nintendo DS, Windows, Mac OS X, iOS, and Android. (Full article...)

I believe this article gets zero points, but I'd still like to get a second TFA. So, what do you think? :) --Khanassassin ☪ 17:10, 26 April 2013 (UTC)

September 30th is the anniversary date, try for then, that way you can nominate it with points. Judgesurreal777 (talk) 14:21, 30 April 2013 (UTC)
To clarify this is a request for a nonspecific date. There is no chance whatsoever that a passing of this article will mean it will be the TFA is less than a week meaning that there no threat to Final Fantasy.--174.95.111.89 (talk) 21:58, 9 May 2013 (UTC)
If FF does indeed run May 16, that leaves at least a month before another video game TFA should be run. It seems a bit ridiculous that this nomination should languish in limbo for several weeks, when it can instead be saved for a more opportune time.--Chimino (talk) 02:25, 10 May 2013 (UTC)

Nonspecific date 2

Flame Robin

Adult male Flame Robin The Flame Robin (Petroica phoenicea) is a small passerine bird native to Australia. It is a moderately common resident of the coolest parts of south-eastern Australia, including Tasmania. It is often simply but inaccurately called the Robin Redbreast. Like many brightly coloured robins of the Petroicidae, it is sexually dimorphic. Measuring 12–14 cm (5–6 in) long, the Flame Robin has dark brown eyes and a small thin black bill. The male has a brilliant orange-red chest and throat, and a white patch on the forehead above the bill. Its upper parts are iron-grey with white bars, and its tail black with white tips. The female is a nondescript grey-brown. Its song has been described as the most musical of its genus. A territorial bird, the Flame Robin employs song and plumage displays to mark out and defend its territory. Classified by BirdLife International as Near Threatened, the species has suffered a marked decline in the past 25 years. (Full article...)

Nonspecific date 3

Barton Fink

Ethan Coen (left) and Joel Coen (right) at the 2001 Cannes Film Festival

Barton Fink is a 1991 American film, written, directed, and produced by the Coen brothers (pictured). Set in 1941, it stars John Turturro in the title role as a young New York City playwright who is hired to write scripts for a movie studio in Hollywood, and John Goodman as Charlie, the insurance salesman who lives next door at the run-down Hotel Earle. The Coens wrote the screenplay in three weeks while experiencing difficulty during the writing of another film, Miller's Crossing. Soon after Miller's Crossing was finished, the Coens began filming Barton Fink, which had its premiere at the Cannes Film Festival in May 1991. In a rare sweep, Barton Fink won the Palme d'Or, as well as awards for Best Director and Best Actor (Turturro). Although it was celebrated almost universally by critics and nominated for three Academy Awards, the movie grossed only $6,000,000 at the box office, two-thirds of its estimated budget. The process of writing and the culture of entertainment production are two prominent themes of Barton Fink. The world of Hollywood is contrasted with that of Broadway, and the film analyzes superficial distinctions between high culture and low culture. Other themes in the film include fascism and World War II; slavery and conditions of labor in creative industries; and how intellectuals relate to "the common man". Because of its diverse elements, Barton Fink has defied efforts at genre classification. It has been variously referred to as a film noir, a horror film, a Künstlerroman, and a buddy film. (Full article...)

2 points: featured since 2009. Last film TFA was "?" on April 1.--Chimino (talk) 02:55, 10 May 2013 (UTC)

Nonspecific date 4

A couple in dark clothes walk along a road, backs to the camera, while a young man on a bicycle heads in the opposite direction.

"Gender Bender" is the fourteenth episode of the television series The X-Files. Premiering on the Fox network on January 21, 1994, it was written by Larry and Paul Barber, directed by Rob Bowman, and featured guest appearances by Brent Hinkley and Nicholas Lea. The show centers on FBI special agents Fox Mulder (David Duchovny) and Dana Scully (Gillian Anderson) who work on cases linked to the paranormal, called X-Files. In this episode, Mulder and Scully begin investigating a series of murders following sexual encounters. The two soon discover that a member of a religious sect living in Massachusetts may be responsible—and may not be human. The episode was inspired by producer Glen Morgan's desire for "an episode with more of a sexy edge"; however, the writers found it difficult to write a story that showed sex as scary. This difficulty led to the introduction of an Amish-like community as well. "Gender Bender" has subsequently been met with mixed critical responses, facing criticism for its abrupt deus ex machina ending. Academic analysis of the episode has placed it within a science-fiction tradition that attributes a powerful, supernatural element to physical contact with aliens. It has also been seen as reflecting anxieties about emerging gender roles in the 1990s. (Full article...)
  • Last television article was Russell T Davies on April 27, last episode of television was several weeks before that on April 9; so this is either at -2 or 0 points depending on how you look at that (by the time this could be slotted in, the two weeks/one month limits will pass on those). Alternatively, you could say that we've never featured an article on shapeshifting space Amish sex addicts... GRAPPLE X 16:51, 8 May 2013 (UTC)
  • Even assuming that the image adds something to the article, does it add anything useful to the blurb? Bencherlite 19:17, 8 May 2013 (UTC)
    Probably not, but I shoved it in just to avoid an image being forced in that's not even used in the article (happened to my last TFA so I figured I'd be pre-emptive). Could be removed without consequence but I'd rather not see something shoehorned in as a replacement if it's not in the article. GRAPPLE X 19:23, 8 May 2013 (UTC)
    I do try and revert inappropriate images that are added into TFA blurbs after an image-free nomination at TFAR but I don't always have the energy to do so. Some editors seem to think that any image is better than none, but as the discussion below about FF shows, there are different views about whether to use images and if so what sorts.... Joy. Bencherlite 20:46, 8 May 2013 (UTC)
    Oh, I know there's different ideas going round, just it does seem that the process of adding images seems to come from wholly outside the TFA process quite a bit, which can be annoying (and I didn't mean to come across like I was directing anything at you, which I now think I might have done, so apologies if it sounded that way). If you think it's better without an image I'm happy to omit it (though maybe a hidden note to say "use from the article if you absolutely must but don't fetch something from elsewhere" might not be the worst idea for noms in the future without a good blurb image). GRAPPLE X 20:57, 8 May 2013 (UTC)

Specific date nominations

May 13

Michigan State Trunkline Highway System

Welcome sign along M-99
Welcome sign along M-99
The State Trunkline Highway System consists of all the state highways in Michigan, including those designated as Interstate, United States, or State Trunkline highways. Maintained by the Michigan Department of Transportation, the system comprises 9,716 miles (15,636 km) of trunklines in all 83 counties of the state. Its components range in scale from 10-lane urban freeways to two-lane rural undivided highways to a non-motorized highway on Mackinac Island, where cars are forbidden. The longest highway is nearly 400 miles (640 km) long, while the shortest is about three-quarters of a mile (about 1.2 km). On May 13, 1913, the State Reward Trunk Line Highways Act was passed, creating the system. Highway numbers were first posted on signs in 1919, making Michigan the second state to do so. Michigan's first freeways were built during the 1940s. Construction on Michigan's Interstates started in the late 1950s and continued until 1992. Few additional freeways have been built since 1992, and in the early years of the 21st century, projects are underway to bypass cities with new highways. (Full article...)

May 13, 2013, will mark the centennial of the creation of the system (6 points) and the last highway article appeared on February 11 (1) for 7 points. This article was just promoted minutes ago, and it's been a labor of love of sorts. It's drawn on the research I've put in for over 200 specific highway articles on the various roads that make up Michigan's highway system. NB: the blurb is slightly long at the moment, and I'm open to suggestions on how to trim it down to meet specifications. Imzadi 1979 → 18:20, 1 May 2013 (UTC)

May 16

Final Fantasy XI

Final Fantasy XI is a massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG), developed and published by Square as part of the Final Fantasy series. Designed and produced by Hiromichi Tanaka, it was released in Japan on May 16, 2002 for Sony's PlayStation 2, and for Microsoft Windows-based personal computers in November of that year. The game was the first cross-platform MMORPG and the Xbox 360's first MMORPG. The story is set in the fantasy world of Vana'diel, where player-created avatars can both compete and cooperate in a variety of objectives to develop an assortment of jobs, skills, and earn in-game item rewards. Players can also undertake an array of quests and progress through the in-game hierarchy and thus through the major plot of the game. Since its debut in 2002, five expansion packs have also been released along with six add-on scenarios. In 2006, between 200,000 and 300,000 active players logged in per day, and the game was the dominant MMORPG in Japan. Final Fantasy XI has a user base of around 500,000 subscribers, and the total number of active characters exceeds 2 million. It is the most profitable title in the Final Fantasy series. (Full article...) Final Fantasy wordmark Final Fantasy XI is a massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG), developed and published by Square as part of the Final Fantasy series. Designed and produced by Hiromichi Tanaka, it was released in Japan on May 16, 2002 for Sony's PlayStation 2, and for Microsoft Windows-based personal computers in November of that year. The game was the first cross-platform MMORPG and the Xbox 360's first MMORPG. The story is set in the fantasy world of Vana'diel, where player-created avatars can both compete and cooperate in a variety of objectives to develop an assortment of jobs, skills, and earn in-game item rewards. Players can also undertake an array of quests and progress through the in-game hierarchy and thus through the major plot of the game. Since its debut in 2002, five expansion packs have also been released along with six add-on scenarios. In 2006, between 200,000 and 300,000 active players logged in per day, and the game was the dominant MMORPG in Japan. Final Fantasy XI has a user base of around 500,000 subscribers, and the total number of active characters exceeds 2 million. It is the most profitable title in the Final Fantasy series. (Full article...) Final Fantasy XI game producer Hiromichi TanakaFinal Fantasy XI is a massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG), developed and published by Square as part of the Final Fantasy series. Designed and produced by Hiromichi Tanaka (pictured), it was released in Japan on May 16, 2002 for Sony's PlayStation 2, and for Microsoft Windows-based personal computers in November of that year. The game was the first cross-platform MMORPG and the Xbox 360's first MMORPG. The story is set in the fantasy world of Vana'diel, where player-created avatars can both compete and cooperate in a variety of objectives to develop an assortment of jobs, skills, and earn in-game item rewards. Players can also undertake an array of quests and progress through the in-game hierarchy and thus through the major plot of the game. Since its debut in 2002, five expansion packs have also been released along with six add-on scenarios. In 2006, between 200,000 and 300,000 active players logged in per day, and the game was the dominant MMORPG in Japan. Final Fantasy XI has a user base of around 500,000 subscribers, and the total number of active characters exceeds 2 million. It is the most profitable title in the Final Fantasy series. (Full article...)
Final Fantasy XI is the most profitable Final Fantasy game ever made, and still is being updated despite being 11 years old. I nominated it in 2008 and it has successfully kept its Featured Status for five years, the day would be the 11th anniversary of its first release, and the topic is "widely noted". Normally that would be 5 points, but God of War (April 19) will make the date slightly under a month in between video game articles. Maybe the coordinators will be generous and call it 4? In any case, I nominate and support. Judgesurreal777 (talk) 19:50, 8 April 2013 (UTC)
All in good time :) Judgesurreal777 (talk) 01:22, 9 April 2013 (UTC)
That would be cool, can anyone make it? I am not talented in that area. Judgesurreal777 (talk) 00:56, 10 April 2013 (UTC)
  • A word-mark would not be that interesting to look at. The face is more attractive. — Crisco 1492 (talk) 01:20, 10 April 2013 (UTC)
    • The face is not indicative of the subject. Logos are designed to be eye catching and are easily recognisable. - hahnchen 01:27, 10 April 2013 (UTC)
      • Logos are. This logo is non-free and cannot be used. Word-marks are not attractive, at all. They are font in an image format. — Crisco 1492 (talk) 02:19, 10 April 2013 (UTC)
        • "Word-marks are not attractive, at all"? Because, what, typography is not attractive at all? What complete bullshit. File:Final Fantasy wordmark.svg would be a better lead image, distinctive, recognisable, high contrast. - hahnchen 13:23, 10 April 2013 (UTC)
          • So having opinions which are not inline with yours is "ridiculous"? Well, I am sorry to have offended your delicate senses. The fact remains that File:Final Fantasy wordmark.svg and similar files are plain black text, block letters on a clear or white background, which offer the general reader little more than typing Final Fantasy XI would. Not to mention the word mark on its own is not recognizable as part of the game; the whole logo is, and that's not free. — Crisco 1492 (talk) 13:33, 10 April 2013 (UTC)
            • It is ridiculous, hence the continuing existence of word marks. How is a man's face remotely "recognizable as part of the game"? Even those who have played the game, or are familiar with the franchise would not recognise that picture. They would recognise File:Final Fantasy wordmark.svg - it turns out that typing plain black text, block letters on a clear or white background - does offer something. - hahnchen 14:02, 10 April 2013 (UTC)
              • It appears your definition of ridiculous and the dictionary's is quite different. There are times when wordmarks might be useful (if Coca-Cola were ever to reach FA status, for example), but having a wordmark instead of a picture of someone related to the subject and worth mentioning in the blurb (such as a director, designer, etc.) would be, in my opinion, ridiculous. Try pushing a wordmark cropped from a poster for Ruma Maida, or Jaws; you'll find piles of opposes. If you feel strongly against having the photograph of the developer, this can be run without an image at all.
              • As for your patently POINTY that a man's face is not "recognizable as part of the game", which appears to have been a dig at my opinion on the other proposal below, you are comparing apples and oranges. The image below was created to resemble an early FF logo (but is not actually it, and thus has no EV), while a developer is certainly related to the game in question and worth an image. — Crisco 1492 (talk) 14:15, 10 April 2013 (UTC)
                • You'd get piles of opposes if you ran a Google TFA with pictures of Larry/Eric/Sergei. And if you're going to pick on Films, try Star Wars. As for the WP:POINTY part, that was the part I removed. - hahnchen 14:37, 10 April 2013 (UTC)
                  • Google has a fairly widely recognised wordmark (which doubles as its logo), like Coca Cola; Star Wars too, and it's wordmark is essentially the series' logo as a whole. FFXI? Not so much, and the wordmark suggested would be misrepresentation of the actual logo. Hence the comparison to Jaws, for which the wordmark itself is not widely recognised. — Crisco 1492 (talk) 14:44, 10 April 2013 (UTC)

Comment: There's an inconsistency in the date format that needs to be sorted, with four different date formats in the references: 2007-08-01, 05/10/12, January 1, 2006 and 28 January 2013 all showing up. - SchroCat (talk) 13:24, 11 April 2013 (UTC)

Ok those are taken care of too. Judgesurreal777 (talk) 20:04, 11 April 2013 (UTC)

May 22

Richard Wagner

Richard Wagner Richard Wagner (1813 – 1883) was a German composer, theatre director, polemicist, and conductor primarily known for his operas. His compositions, particularly those of his later period, are notable for their complex textures, rich harmonies and orchestration, and the elaborate use of leitmotifs—musical phrases associated with individual characters, places, ideas or plot elements. These innovations greatly influenced the development of classical music; his Tristan und Isolde is sometimes described as marking the start of modern music. Wagner revolutionised opera through his concept of synthesising the poetic, visual, musical and dramatic arts. He first realised these ideas in his four-opera cycle The Ring of the Nibelung. He had his own opera house built at Bayreuth, containing many novel design features, where his most important stage works continue to be performed in an annual festival run by his descendants. Until his final years, Wagner's life was characterised by political exile, turbulent love affairs, poverty and repeated flight from his creditors. Wagner's controversial writings on music, drama and politics have attracted extensive comment in recent decades, especially where they express antisemitic sentiments. The effect of his ideas can be traced in many of the arts throughout the 20th century; their influence spread beyond composition into conducting, philosophy, literature, the visual arts and theatre. (Full article...)
  • 11 points, I think: Vital article (4), bicentenary of his birth on 22 May (6), 'requestor (me) is a significant contributor to the article, and has not previously had an article appear as Today's featured article'. Wagner's bicentenary is being celebrated round the world, this would be a fitting contribution by Misplaced Pages. Thanks.Smerus (talk) 14:12, 24 April 2013 (UTC)
I tried here before, --Gerda Arendt (talk) 11:49, 25 April 2013 (UTC)
Agree with Gerda; the last two sentences could be swapped. Espresso Addict (talk) 01:33, 26 April 2013 (UTC)
OK I have swapped as you suggest.--Smerus (talk) 14:12, 26 April 2013 (UTC)
The article is one thing, the blurb for the Main page, for unprepared people, another. I don't think "operatic thought" is a good term for them. --Gerda Arendt (talk) 13:12, 25 April 2013 (UTC)
"operetic thought" is an inaccurate term actually, and is meaningless. What is meant is that Wagner changed how opera was viewed, seen or enjoyed. Opera is a performing art and is viewed rather than an intellectual pursuit that is thought about, and the phrase has to say that. Further the point being made is that Wagner marked a change in how opera was viewed and enjoyed making it more approachable to more people. That has to be clearly articulated in the article in clear language that appropriately references a performing art.(olive (talk) 16:31, 25 April 2013 (UTC))
Interesting that it is both 'meaningless', and yet all the same the 'point being made' is clear! OK, I propose (as above) 'enriched the potential of opera', and have edited the article similarly.--Smerus (talk) 17:07, 25 April 2013 (UTC)
  • Support TFA, but for the rewording, how about just simply "transformed opera" or "modernized opera" or "revolutionized opera" -- something simple and direct, "enriched the potential of opera...?" Hmm, that's a dependent clause, not answering the "for what" question. Montanabw 17:16, 25 April 2013 (UTC)
I don't think 'transformed' will quite do, since not everyone took up his ideas - 'modernized', yes, but didn't all major opera composers do that in their day and in their way (Gluck, Mozart, Meyerbeer even, ......). 'Revolutionized' could be good, as it carries the idea that he really shook things up... what do others think?--Smerus (talk) 17:52, 25 April 2013 (UTC)think....

I believe the text is referring both to a change in the approachability to opera and to the critical thought on opera. If one word works for both, fine. I'm supposed to be on a self enforced break so I'll leave you all to it. (olive (talk) 18:31, 25 April 2013 (UTC))

Er....I wrote the text; and I certainly had in mind critical thought on opera, but also certainly not 'approachability'. Whilst Wagner himself thought that people en masse would rush to lap up his ideas, this proved far from the case; in fact ironically his biggest fans were exactly the elite whom, when he evolved his ideas in his socialist phase, he despised. But as there's no snappy way of getting all that into a couple of words, I still favour 'revolutionized'.........and will put that in the paragraph above, save that the article uses throughout the '...ised' spelling of such words. --Smerus (talk) 19:23, 25 April 2013 (UTC)
thanks,Gabe!--Smerus (talk) 16:32, 27 April 2013 (UTC)--Smerus (talk) 16:32, 27 April 2013 (UTC)

May 24

Thescelosaurus

Reconstruction of Thescelosaurus Thescelosaurus is a genus of small ornithopod dinosaur known from Upper Cretaceous rocks of western North America. It belonged to the last dinosaurian fauna of North America before the Cretaceous–Paleogene extinction event at approximately 66 million years ago, living alongside dinosaurs such as Tyrannosaurus and Triceratops. This common genus was described from a specimen discovered in 1891, but not unpacked and studied until the 1910s. These circumstances suggested the names of the genus and type species T. neglectus, which roughly translate to "godlike, wondrous, or marvelous neglected lizard". Thescelosaurus is best known from several partial skeletons representing three species: T. neglectus, T, assiniboiensis, and T. garbanii. One specimen was initially thought to include a preserved heart, but later study found the object is probably a concretion. Thescelosaurus was a bipedal animal with a relatively long pointed skull and robust limbs. Typical individuals measured on the order of 2.5 to 4.0 metres (8.2 to 13.1 ft) long. It was probably primarily herbivorous and may have preferred to live near streams. (Full article...)
  • I propose Thescelosaurus for this date because it will be the centennial of its official description (May 24, 1913) (see a copy of the original article here). The article was promoted in 2007, and the last dinosaur article to be TFA was Psittacosaurus on January 7. This should give Thescelosaurus 9 points: 6 for the centennial, 2 for the promotion date, and 1 for length of time since the previous dinosaur. We have a number of other images; I just chose this one because it is the holotype, which I felt was most appropriate. J. Spencer (talk) 00:48, 26 April 2013 (UTC)
I tweaked that line; with that and a couple of formatting fixes, it might on the long side. J. Spencer (talk) 15:07, 28 April 2013 (UTC)
agree that a pic of a dinosaur like this is a lot more engaging than the bones. Casliber (talk · contribs) 20:35, 30 April 2013 (UTC)

May 25

May Revolution

May Revolution The May Revolution was a week-long series of events that took place from May 18 to 25, 1810, in Buenos Aires, capital of the Viceroyalty of the Río de la Plata. The May Revolution was a direct reaction to Spain's Peninsular War. In 1808, King Ferdinand VII of Spain abdicated in favor of Napoleon, who granted the throne to his brother, Joseph Bonaparte. Viceroy Cisneros tried to maintain the political status quo, but a group of criollo lawyers and military officials organized an open cabildo on May 22 to decide the future of the Viceroyalty. Delegates denied recognition to the Council of Regency in Spain and established a junta to govern in place of Cisneros, since the government that had appointed him Viceroy no longer existed. To maintain a sense of continuity, Cisneros was initially appointed president of the Junta. This caused popular unrest, so he resigned under pressure on May 25. The newly formed government, the Primera Junta, included only representatives from Buenos Aires and invited other cities of the Viceroyalty to send delegates. This resulted in the outbreak of war between the regions that accepted the outcome of the events at Buenos Aires and those that did not. (Full article...)

1 point for date relevant to article topic, 2 points for widely covered topic, 1 point for my contribution history, and 2 points for lack of similar articles in the last six months. The image shown here is a brighter version of the same portrait used as lead image, it's smaller but better suited for a caption-sized image (the other photo may be too dark in low resolution) Cambalachero (talk) 22:50, 30 April 2013 (UTC)

Heinrich Bär (Alternative)

Heinrich Bär (1913–57) was a German Luftwaffe flying ace in World War II. He flew more than 1,000 combat missions, and fought in all major German theatres of the war, including the Western, Eastern and Mediterranean fronts. He was shot down on 18 occasions and was credited with 220 aerial victories, around 16 of which were in the Messerschmitt Me 262, an early jet fighter. Bär joined the Reichswehr in 1934 and transferred to the Luftwaffe in 1935. Serving first as a mechanic, then as a pilot on transport aircraft, he was informally trained as a fighter pilot. He claimed his first aerial victory in September 1939 on the French border. By the end of the Battle of Britain, his tally of victories was 17. Transferred to the Eastern front to participate in Operation Barbarossa, he quickly accumulated further kills, earning the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords for 90 aerial victories in February 1942. Hermann Göring's personal dislike of Bär, coupled with Bär's insubordinate character and lack of military discipline, deprived him of higher awards. After the war, Bär continued as an aviator, and was killed in a flying accident near Braunschweig. (Full article...)

My first TFA nomination (and I did ask for permission first). All I know from the criteria is that it scores 6 points for being born 100 years ago, and 2 points for the article being promoted over 2 years ago. Not sure if it fits any other criteria. Minima© (talk) 11:59, 6 May 2013 (UTC)

Thanks Bencherlite for finding out the other recent TFAs. I hope its only two points that get deducted though, as it is (at its time) more than two weeks but within a month since the last similar article. I'll update the table. Minima© (talk) 19:40, 9 May 2013 (UTC)
Support for May 26 - The point totals are similar, and the article above has more significence for the date than this one. If its within a day, it should still be satisfactory. Judgesurreal777 (talk) 16:39, 8 May 2013 (UTC)

May 29

The Rite of Spring

Dancers from 1913 production of The Rite of Spring
Dancers from 1913 production of The Rite of Spring
1 The Rite of Spring is a ballet and orchestral concert work by the Russian composer Igor Stravinsky. It was written for the 1913 Paris season of Sergei Diaghilev's Ballets Russes company, with choreography by Vaslav Nijinsky and stage designs and costumes by Nicholas Roerich. The ballet caused a near-riot in the audience when first performed, on 29 May 1913 at the Théâtre des Champs-Élysées in Paris, but rapidly achieved success as a concert piece and later became recognised as one of the most influential musical works of the 20th century. The scenario, developed by Roerich from Stravinsky's outline idea, is the celebration of spring by various primitive rituals, at the end of which a sacrificial victim dances herself to death. After its explosive premiere the ballet was unperformed until the 1920s, when Léonide Massine's rechoreographed version was the first of many innovative productions directed by the world's leading ballet-masters. In the 1980s, Nijinsky's original choreography was reconstructed by the Joffrey Ballet in Los Angeles. Providing "endless stimulation for performers and listeners" alike, The Rite is among the most recorded works in the classical repertoire. (Full article...)

My first TFA nomination (I didn't ask permission --- because I couldn't figure out how to do that; please help me out here). I thought I saw this article nominated for this date (the last time I looked), and was surprised to see it absent; I didn't read anything on the history page about this. Seems like a natural for this date: 100-year anniversary, significant work, etc. Musanim (talk) 20:27, 8 May 2013 (UTC)

  • Permission to nominate is not required, but you ought to let the principal author and FAC nominator (Brianboulton) know that you've nominated it; I know he was planning to in due course. I've removed the image you used since it's non-free and can't be used on the main page, or indeed here. Incidentally, the blurb is only 701 characters including spaces, when the target is 1,200 so it needs some expansion. Bencherlite 20:44, 8 May 2013 (UTC)
  • Support: I had intended to nominate this week, so no harm done. I have expanded the blurb and added an acceptable free image. Brianboulton (talk) 22:03, 8 May 2013 (UTC)
  • Support for obvious reasons.--Chimino (talk) 22:43, 8 May 2013 (UTC)
  • Support, high quality article about a ballet; educational and encyclopedic. — Cirt (talk) 23:57, 8 May 2013 (UTC)
  • Support gotta be! Yes, it's a week after Wagner but both are very significant anniversaries. Johnbod (talk) 00:01, 9 May 2013 (UTC)
  • Support It may be a week after Wagner but let's sacrifice the conventions...--Smerus (talk) 07:12, 9 May 2013 (UTC)
  • Comments: I supported it as FA, and have no doubt that it should appear that day, even if it was one day after some composer. I wonder if the pic might be cropped, this is pale and shows no excitement. - "The scenario, developed by Roerich from Stravinsky's outline idea, is the celebration of spring by various primitive rituals, following which a sacrificial victim dances herself to death." - isn't dancing to death part of the rituals? - That the music is influential is said twice, but not what made it so. --Gerda Arendt (talk) 09:45, 9 May 2013 (UTC)
  • The image was far too small; I have enlarged it. I would rather not crop it – it shows Stravinsky's famous "knock-kneed Lolitas". I have made a few changes to the text, per Gerda; but a TFA blurb is not really the place to explain what made the music influential. Brianboulton (talk) 14:07, 9 May 2013 (UTC)
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